Many women around me have suffered from uterine fibroids. Who is likely to get it?

Author: Shi Jinqiu, deputy chief physician, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University (Luohu Hospital)

Reviewer: Luo Guangnan Chief Physician, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University (Luohu Hospital)

The uterus is an important part of the female reproductive organs. It is the place where embryos and fetuses are conceived. It has the physiological function of producing menstruation and has endocrine and immune functions. The uterus is a very important organ for women, but it is prone to a tumor, uterine fibroids.

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1. Most uterine fibroids are benign tumors

The uterus is an organ with a cavity, which is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. It is connected to the fallopian tube cavity on both sides. The uterus has four pairs of ligaments, containing smooth muscle and connective tissue.

The structure of the uterus provides a favorable environment for the growth of uterine fibroids, so uterine fibroids are one of the common diseases among women.

Uterine fibroids, also known as uterine leiomyoma, are one of the common tumors in the female reproductive organs. It is worth noting that in most cases, uterine fibroids are a benign tumor. If you have uterine fibroids, don't have too much psychological pressure, insist on regular gynecological examinations, early detection and early treatment.

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2. What causes uterine fibroids

There is always a reason for being sick. What are the causes of uterine fibroids?

Studies have shown that uterine fibroids are benign, solid tumors. Under a microscope, it can be seen that fibroids are composed of smooth muscle cells. Obviously, uterine fibroids are caused by the proliferation of smooth muscle cells in the myometrium or the walls of myometrial blood vessels. However, the exact cause of uterine fibroids is still not very clear. According to clinical observations and experimental results, uterine fibroids are a hormone-dependent tumor. Among them, estrogen is recognized as the main factor related to the growth of fibroids, but it does not mean that the higher the estrogen level in a woman's body, the more likely she is to get uterine fibroids.

In addition, progesterone also affects the growth of uterine fibroids. The cell nuclei of uterine fibroids will accelerate division under the stimulation of progesterone, thereby accelerating the growth of fibroids. Therefore, progesterone is also one of the hormones recognized by medicine to have a significant effect on the occurrence and development of uterine fibroids.

In addition, the growth of uterine fibroids is also related to growth hormone, prolactin, etc. At the same time, uterine fibroids are also related to genetic factors and individual physical conditions.

According to current research, uterine fibroids are often caused by multiple factors.

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3. Where in the uterus may uterine fibroids grow

Uterine fibroids may "grow" on the outer surface of the uterus, or they may "grow" inside the uterus, that is, under the uterine mucosa. Moreover, uterine fibroids are usually multiple and can occur in different locations of the uterus.

According to clinical data, the types of uterine fibroids include intramural fibroids, submucosal fibroids, subserosal fibroids, cervical fibroids, etc.

Intramural fibroids are located within the uterine muscle wall and are surrounded by normal uterine myometrial tissue. There may be one or more fibroids of varying sizes. According to clinical data, intramural fibroids are the most common type of uterine fibroids in women.

Submucosal fibroids are in the uterine cavity. When the fibroids approach the uterine cavity and develop into the uterine cavity with less resistance, the fibroids will protrude in the uterine cavity with only a thin layer of endometrium on its surface.

Subserosal fibroids are different from submucosal fibroids. They are fibroids close to the surface of the uterus. As they grow larger, they protrude toward the surface of the uterus and are covered with only a layer of serosa. Therefore, they are called subserosal fibroids.

Cervical fibroids are fibroids located in the wall of the cervix. They can develop in all directions and, when they grow, they may change the shape of the cervix or compress the bladder.

No matter what type of uterine fibroids it is, it will have a certain impact on the body. It must be treated as soon as possible after discovery, and you must not be afraid to seek medical treatment.

4. Which women are prone to uterine fibroids?

According to clinical data, uterine fibroids are common in women aged 30 to 50, and it is very rare for women under 20 years old to suffer from uterine fibroids.

It is estimated that the prevalence of uterine fibroids in women of childbearing age can reach 25%, and statistics show that the incidence rate is as high as 50%. Among them, the incidence rate of pregnancy complicated with uterine fibroids is 0.1% to 3.9%. These data do not include those patients who have not been discovered and have not been admitted to the hospital for examination or treatment.

Although some patients have uterine fibroids, they are not discovered until physical examinations because the fibroids are small or have no symptoms, and some patients may not realize that they have the disease for their entire lives. Therefore, the prevalence of uterine fibroids reported in clinical practice is lower than the actual prevalence.

Studies have shown that uterine fibroids have a certain tendency to cluster in families. If a direct relative has a history of uterine fibroids, the incidence rate will be more than 4 times higher than that of those with no family history. The age of onset, the time when clinical symptoms appear, and the age of surgery will be earlier than those with no family history.

Some patients feel that they are very healthy and rarely get sick. When they learn that they are ill, they find it hard to accept. However, there are many changes in the body that we cannot perceive ourselves, and often we need medical examinations to discover them.

Since patients with uterine fibroids generally have no obvious clinical symptoms at the beginning, most of them are discovered accidentally during physical examinations. Therefore, for the sake of health, regular physical examinations are very necessary. Early detection can lead to early treatment. The treatment methods will be different for different stages and types of uterine fibroids. In any case, we must maintain a calm attitude and actively cooperate with doctors for treatment.